


Crossing the Line

by DragonLordRams



Category: Assassin's Creed - All Media Types
Genre: Idiots in Love, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pining, future smut probably, in character mostly, shameless fluff, slowburn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-12
Updated: 2020-01-12
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:01:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,732
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22228321
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DragonLordRams/pseuds/DragonLordRams
Summary: Ezio slowly realizes that, quite simply, he loves Leonardo. He's not quite sure how, or why, but he knows it to be true, and knows that he would do anything to keep his friend safe. No matter what he must endure, he knows he would give his life to keep those he loves safe, but sometimes he forgets that his death alone could be what tears them apart.
Relationships: Ezio Auditore da Firenze/Leonardo da Vinci
Comments: 2
Kudos: 88





	Crossing the Line

**Author's Note:**

> Honestly I don't know why my brain decided that the best thing to write after roughly three years of not creating a single finished work, is Assassin's Creed fan fiction based off games that came out almost a decade ago...  
> But here we are, with all my love for these idiot boys brimming to the fullest extent.  
> There definitely won't be regular updates, but considering I'm currently replaying every one of Ezio's games, I'll probably have inspiration to write for awhile.  
> I also don't write in advance and then post when I have a decent amount backpiled, I post once I've decided a chapter is long enough to be considered a full chapter, so it'll probably be a while between them.

If there was one thing that life as an assassin had taught Ezio Auditore da Firenze, it was that you didn’t live long. No matter who you are, what your passions are, you never live long enough. A human body simply couldn’t sustain our lives long enough, and thus, everyone died a little too early. Of course, he couldn’t exactly say much about his own lifestyle, as it may be. Life threw so many different obstacles at people that it was no surprise that so many lives were lost on a daily basis. Obstacles like the rain, for one. The rain was a blessing, in many ways, but not for someone who used rooftops as their main mode of transportation. As soon as the first few droplets pattered against his cheek, Ezio was pulled from his train of thought about the many ins and outs of mortality, blinking as he scanned the horizon below him. He needed to get down from the church tower he was perched on for a short rest before everything got too wet, and he made this choice by slowly standing and stretching his limbs with a groan and a few pops from being imobile for a period of time. With one more glance as the blurs of colors he could identify as people below him, he let his arms stretch out and slightly behind himself before spinning perfectly on the balls of his feet, and letting gravity pull him down. 

*

Leonardo de Vinchi had a semi-regular schedule for when he decided to go to the market, which was surprising from a man who could barely remember to feed himself if there was any sort of commission in the works, or even just a very exciting new idea that insisted it be sketched out on paper instead of just floating around in his head. It was a simple Tuesday for him, wandering past the stalls and browsing for his necessities as well as anything that simply happened to catch his eye- which wasn’t a hard thing to do. The whole ordeal took him the better part of the day, but when a few raindrops caught his cheek, he frowned a bit and looked up to the slowly darkening sky. How unfortunate. He was just getting to some of his favorite vendors. He could always just stay out a little longer and risk getting caught in a downpour on the way back home, but depending on the goods of those around him, it may very well be worth it. 

A flash of something above caught his attention, and his eyes turned up once more, this time directed at the church spire overlooking the square. Just as he suspected, there was something moving at the very top, metal glinting in the fast fading rays of sun that had caught his eye. His squirted to make out the shape, and then sucked in a gasp at the realization of what it was. A man’s figure, adorned in steel and white robes, stretching his clasped hands high above his head in what Leonardo could only interpret as a post-nap stretch. There was only one person it could ever be, and Leonardo felt his heartbeat quicken as he watched the figure slowly spin, and then simply fall back, like one laying back on a cozy bed. His horror grew at the sheer speed in which Ezio plummeted, and felt a scream catch in his throat before he took off running through the market, towards the direction in which he had seen the assassin fall. He had no clear line of sight, so as he came stumbling around a corner, he was met with two hands on his shoulder, instantly stopping him in his tracks before he could continue headfirst into his dear friend. 

“Ezio! Mio Dio!” Leonardo gasped out, eyes wide as he quickly took in the sight of the assassin. “You- You’re alright! Oh thank goodness…” He trailed off and squinted slightly before slowly reaching up, and plucking a piece of hay out from where it was stuck against Ezio’s hood. “Did you dive into a cart of hay?” 

Ezio only laughed and gave Leonardo a firm pat on the shoulder, “It is good to see you, my friend. I was heading your way soon, so it must be fate that we crossed paths sooner. I have another page for you.” He said, almost with a bit of pride in his voice. He was collecting them fast, Leonardo had to admit. It had barely been three days since his friend had dropped by with a page. He couldn’t help but wonder if there was another reason for the frequent visits, and the artist tried to hide the physical effects of the churning in his stomach, the anxiety starting in the back of his head once more. He quickly soon his head, trying to rid his unease, and gave Ezio a smile. 

“I cannot wait to take a look, but I have a little bit more shopping to do before the rain gets too bad. Why don’t you accompany me? Or did you feel like giving me another heart attack by free-falling off of a building.” This earned a hearty laugh from Ezio, who shook his head and let his hand fall from Leonardo’s shoulder. Leonardo glanced around a bit to gather his bearings before he started walking towards the next stall he needed, Ezio following at his side. 

“Have you been busy lately, Leonardo? How’s business?” Ezio asked as they walked, keeping his hood up in the crowded environment. He seamlessly slid by undetected by any guards they passed, simply turning his head to avoid showing his face and keeping close with Leonardo. The way he melted so perfectly into a crowd always amazed Leonardo, especially considering Ezio’s escapades as of recent. 

“Molto.” Leonardo sighed as he nodded, and Ezio glanced over at him. He could feel the way Ezio scanned his entire body, but it almost felt like Ezio saw more than just what was on the surface. It was like the assassin’s eyes could pierce into someone, see their entire being, as if they were dissected on a table in front of him, every piece of themselves bared to his judgement. But, as quickly as it began, Ezio turned his eyes back to the crowd, more alert than usual. 

“You haven’t been eating, mio amico.” Ezio tisked, almost like an annoyed parent. “As soon as we’re back to yours, you’re eating something. Intesto?”   
Leonardo sighed and rolled his eyes, “Si, si. I’ll make something for us both. We can have lunch after I translate the codex page-” 

“Ah! No, Leonardo. You eat before you work.” Ezio groaned. “You stubborn little man. When will you learn to take care of yourself? Or do I need to stop by every day like you’re a piccolo bambino?” 

“I’m older than you, Ezio! Give your elders some respect.” Leonardo scoffed, but clearly had to fight back a smile. This was Ezio’s way of affection. His way of showing that he cared. By literally showing it in every way possible. He was like a mother hen in a way. Smothering, sometimes. 

“I’ll show you respect when you’ve earned it.” Ezio laughed, tisking over Leonardo’s shoulder as he picked up a length of chainmail that was sitting on one of the stalls. “Now what could you possibly need that for? You’re like a crow, Leonardo. Always finding something shiny in a crowd.” Leonardo just batted him away as he continued to browse, until the raindrop grew from light sprinkles to heavy, fat droplets. Ezio had been trying to get him to stop bartering with a vendor for almost ten minutes before the artist finally relented, and they began the short walk back to Leonardo’s workshop, banter passing between them the entire way. 

*

Mother Nature was against him. She hated him. Despised him with every magnificent ounce of her being. Ezio had no idea what he had done to wrong the all-powerful-goddess-of-nature, but she absolutely hated him. By the time the bantering duo had made it back to Leonardo’s workshop, they were absolutely drenched. This meant a few things for Leonardo, but quite a few more for the assassin. 

See, for Leonardo, it was simple. They were at his home, of course. He could just go upstairs, change his clothes, dry off, and once again be comfortable. Ezio, on the other hand, could do nothing of the sort. He had two options, suffer the fate of being soaking wet the entire time he was visiting with his dear friend and risk getting sick because of sitting in soaking and cold clothing, or completely strip of all of his armour, robes, weapons, and the many, many, many, layer that he wore, and borrow some of Leonardo’s clothes until his were either dry, or he was ready to leave. Neither choice was good, and both choices were going to make him extremely uncomfortable, be it as being cold and wet, or feeling completely and utterly vulnerable, and thus defenseless in case of an attack. 

Now, being attacked inside of Leonardo’s own home wasn’t exactly something Ezio needed to readily be prepared for, but he was prepared for anything at this point. Things just didn’t want to go well for him, and knowing his luck, he’d get hit when he was least prepared. Or maybe that was just his uncle’s voice in the back of his head, keeping him ever-attentive should something go wrong. 

Stuck inside his own thoughts once more, Ezio barely caught the tail-end of Leonardo’s words as they quickly stumbled inside, and he dropped his bags and made his way upstairs, “Just wait for me here, I’ll bring towels and dry clothes down to you. Last time you came through here wet, you left puddles that I was cleaning up for hours…” The artist’s voice drifted out of range as he disappeared into the upper workings of his home, and Ezio just rolled his eyes, and then slowly begun the tedious process of stripping himself of his gear. He started with his weapons, carefully laying them on the nearest available surface, which was not an easy thing to find with the clutter covering the workshop of Leonardo’s home. He then began to carefully remove his armor, and the outer workings of his robes until he was finally down to just a simple white, long-sleeved shirt, and his pants. He took care in moving over to the fireplace hanging his soaked clothing up to dry before he set to work resupplying the dying coals. By the time Leonardo returned, with towels and clothes in arm, Ezio was sitting in front of the fire with slight shivers running through him. His large number of layers did him no good when they were drenched, and it was the reason why he disliked being in the rain so much. 

“Here, Ezio. Dry off and get changed. You need to warm up, or I’m going to have to deal with the piccolo bambino that comes out whenever you get sick.” Leonardo smiled, earning him a scoff as Ezio took the items from him. 

“Grazie. And i’m no baby, Leonardo. You should know this by now, with how many times you’ve seen me after a fight.” Ezio set the clothing down on a cluttled pile of books near him and started to dry himself off with the towel. Leonardo turned and made his way over to his easel, looking over the work in progress that sat there currently. It wasn’t a portrait, for once. It seemed to be some sort of landscape, but just the sketch of one, still in the early phases of the piece. No doubt another idea that had simply struck Leonardo. This distraction gave Ezio the chance to dry off and slip into the dry clothing his friend had provided before he moved behind his friend, observing the painting. “Think you’re going to finish this one?” 

Leonardo jumped slightly, startled with how silently Ezio had moved to be directly behind him, and then rolled his eyes, “Si, I should have it done by the end of the month…” He replied as he picked up one of his brushes and started to clean it off. “The deadline was unrealistic anyways…” 

“When was the deadline?” Ezio chuckled as he cleared a space to sit down on one of the tables. 

“Two months ago.” Leonardo shrugged as he began to work again, “They only gave me two weeks to try and complete it, the fools. They don’t seem to fully understand how much time has to go into this sort of piece. I’ve been out staring at landscapes almost every night, trying to capture it right.” He sighed, putting the wood end of his paintbrush to his lips as he was lost in thought. Ezio knew better than to keep distracting him, and just shook his head a bit before he went to go make them something to eat. They had barely been back ten minutes and already Leonardo had forgotten about Ezio’s instantace on him eating, as well as the codex page. But that could all wait until after his friend was fed. 

It didn’t take him long to find something quick to throw together before he returned to the workshop, Leonardo still just staring at his painting. “Here, my friend. Sit down and eat a little, and then you may decode the newest codex page.” The assassin tisked, setting the plate down before moving to sit by the fire himself. He was still chilled, and it would do him best to stay near the heat until it passed or he might find himself needing a doctor. Then he would never hear the end of it from Leonardo, who always insisted that Ezio try to rest when he was even just with a slight cough. Like a dottling housewife. 

Leonardo finally pulled himself away from the painting and came to sit by Ezio to eat, “Fine fine, but at least let me look the page over while I eat.” He requested, earning a smile from Ezio, who passed the rolled up parchment over. Immediately, Leonardo unrolled it and his eyes scanned the page as he ate, nodding while letting out appreciative sounds, “Hmm.. Oh I see… Oh..” 

Ezio slipped back into his own thoughts while Leonardo was distracted with the codex, thinking about the past few years. The losses he had endured, the trials he had been put through, but things were finally starting to slip back into place. The world may never feel quite right again, but the Creed was ever approaching it’s current goal; while the templars may be impossible to completely rid themselves of, their next target would do a great amount of good to the people. Yet, throughout the last few years, he had been spending a greater and greater amount of time right where he was currently sitting. This building, around Leonardo, with his friend. One of his closest, most trustworthy friends. Someone he trusted with his life, and wouldn’t be able to bear the loss of. He had always known that he cared for the artist, but lately he was finally beginning to realize how much. 

“This might be one of the strangest pages so far, Ezio.” Leonardo laughed, drawing Ezio’s eyes. 

“Oh? Pray tell, my friend.” Ezio smiled warmly, getting up to check on his clothing. Still dripping, quite literally. He sighed quietly at that. 

“It shouldn’t take me long to get this written up, and then I’ll just need your blade, and a way to hollow it out without risking the loss of integrity…” The artist shifted inventor was already lost in the page once more, but this time while on the move. He stood and moved over grab Ezio’s hidden blade from where it sat with the rest of his weapons, and then continued over to one of his more clear tables to begin his work. Ezio just chuckled and grabbed a blanket before sitting down and making himself comfortable. It was going to be a while before Leonardo was finished with his improvements, so he knew there was no harm in getting a bit of rest while he waited. 

With the sound of rain falling outside, and the familiar comfort of Leonardo’s workshop, Ezio was slowly lulled into a light sleep. 

***


End file.
